The Jimi Hendrix D-45

In their November '98 issue, Vintage Guitar Magazine reported that rock legend Jimi Hendrix used his Martin 1968 D-45 (Serial #239387) acoustic guitar to compose most of his legendary songs. "Experience" drummer Mitch Mitchell acquired the D-45 while mixing the "Cry of Love" LP after Jimi's death. Apparently Devon Wilson, one of Jimi's girlfriends, visited Mitch at the studio, and she presented Mitch with the guitar.

A photograph of the guitar appeared in Guitarist, September 1990. This guitar went unsold during an auction at Sotheby's in September of 1994, presumably because of the high price. David Brewis of London, England, eventually purchased the guitar from Mitch Mitchell and then re-sold it in 1997. It is now owned by the "Experience Music Project," an interactive music museum opening in Seattle sometime in 2000.

Singer songwriter Janis Ian adds that "Jimi Hendrix played a Martin D-18" as well, and she says so in the lyrics of her song "Welcome to Acousticville" on the CD of the same name. In concert she says: "It always gets a big round of applause!"